Mitt Romney’s Aug. 30 address concluded the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., following his acceptance of the GOP nomination for president.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said that America’s backbone of family, community and faith will be reinforced by initiatives to boost the economy and ease unemployment.

“My promise is to help you and your family,” the former Massachusetts governor said as he formally accepted his party’s nomination for president.

Romney’s Aug. 30 address concluded the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. His speech dealt largely with the poor economy and high national rates of unemployment, while also touching on the importance of families and local communities, as well as his Mormon faith.

Americans are not better off now than they were when President Obama took office, Romney argued, pointing to high levels of poverty and unemployment as an indication that the president’s policies have been unsuccessful.

He criticized Obama for turning to government as the solution to the nation’s problems, such as the current job crisis, saying that “the bedrock of what makes America” is not found in government but in families, local communities and faith.

“The strength and power and goodness of America has always been based on the strength and power and goodness of our communities, our families, our faiths,” he said.

Romney's speech was preceded by comments from several individuals who knew him during his time as an unpaid lay pastor for his Mormon church. They recalled how he donated up to 20 hours of his time per week to help out with volunteer projects and aid those in the community struggling with unemployment, illness and family problems.

One couple described how Romney regularly visited their 14-year-old son in the hospital after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Romney cheered the boy up by buying him fireworks and ultimately helped him write his will, touching his life so profoundly that the boy requested that he deliver the eulogy at his funeral.

Reflecting on his own life, Romney recounted how his church community greeted him when he moved to a new city and how he later found joy in welcoming and helping out other members who were in need.

He also stressed the importance of family as he described the love that he experienced from his parents growing up and the love that he now shares with his wife and five sons and 18 grandchildren.

“All the laws and legislation in the world will never heal this world like the loving hearts and arms of mothers and fathers,” he said.

Romney also touched on religious liberty, which has become a key issue in the presidential campaign, by saying that the freedom of religion helps make up “the essence of the American experience.”

“As president, I will protect the sanctity of life. I will honor the institution of marriage. And I will guarantee America's first liberty: the freedom of religion,” he said.

The GOP candidate also defended his business success, explaining that it had given him valuable experience, and touted his support for women on his staff as governor and in business.

He said that he would begin his presidency with “a jobs tour” and vowed that he would not raise taxes on the middle class. He also called for the president’s health-care overhaul, the Affordable Care Act, to be repealed and replaced.

Focusing on the national problem of unemployment, Romney presented a five-point plan to create 12 million new jobs.

The Romney plan involves energy independence by 2020, greater school choice to give children the skills they need for available jobs, building and enforcing new trade agreements, cutting the deficit and moving towards a balance budget, and promoting job growth through small businesses by reducing taxes on them and modernizing regulations.

Romney capped off his speech by highlighting the American potential for achievement and pledging to work with all his “energy and soul” to restore America as a nation and build “a better future.”

Comments

@Thirstfortruth, I observe you are mixing up two different issues: The issue I raised concerned who struck the American economy at its underbelly to create the economic chaos being experienced in America. I never mentioned which government inherited what. The fact of the matter is that whoever destroyed the economy from its root is equally liable for the downstream economic effect which may or may not be remedied early enough, no matter the amount of liquid assets pumped thereafter. George Bush was responsible for the heavy blow on the American economy. Period. You mentioned that Obama inherited monies that were found in subsequent years. I don’t know what economic theory you are expressing here. Are you saying that the government under Obama would not raise budgets and spend those monies? Are you then saying that such monies were monies ‘inherited’ by Obama? I think we better came clean on this matter and face realities as they should be. And, for my co-discussants on this forum, I am putting it here that whether you vote Republican or Democrat, the American policy would not change. You see, America has a policy that could be said to be a non-enshrined understanding that ANY American president would never override. For example, every American president would do everything to protect the interest of America and Americans. However, the modus operandi of executing this would depend on who holds the reins at the White House, but the end-result would still be the same. And that is why, irrespective of the huge criticisms against Bush over his handling of the Iraq and Afghan wars, Obama stepped in and continued, albeit in different tone, to execute the imperatives of these wars. As we see that effort led to the killing of Osama bin Laden. Similarly, the two parties have been debating about taxation, as if any of them owned such intellectual property. No matter the direction the Democrats or the Republicans go, taxation must have to be effected and some folks would be at stinging end of any of the directions. As a Catholic I would even be ready to lay down my life should any authority decide to hamstring the Catholic Church and her activities. But when a policy like the pro-life issues (abortion) arise, we should know that any government policies on those affect the entire truly Christian folks that belong to Christendom since the taking of the lives of unborn children is contrary to the law of God. That a government enacts policies contrary to Christian belief does not translate to mean that government is stifling religious freedom. And this is why I support any lawsuit that would be meant to challenge government action and not that government is persecuting any particular religious denomination. And, if we should want to honest with ourselves, we should understand that, in spite of the outbursts of Republicans as supporters of pro-llife, abortion still persists under the watch of a president of Republican extraction as it does under the Democratic watch. So what should happen here should be a class action suit against the relevant American authority to rescind abortion. We talk about family values being eroded but we don’t want to hit the nail on the head. One of the actions that erode family values is the law that gives recognition to gay and lesbianism. Are we saying that this law is supported only by Democrats? Of course not! So you see that all the hypes about removing Obama and installing Mitt Romney is just something borne out of the nuances of politics and must be separated entirely from religion as some here have been wont to say that Obama will infinitely destroy religion or Catholicism. By the way list out here how many Catholics had become American presidents. And if the Catholics really want to fight for the Catholic faith, then they should well agitate for an opening of a level playing field for people of all religious denominations. Somebody here should tell me whether Mitt Romney is a Catholic; and if not then what is all this idea about rooting for him? Is it because he had made some promises which every discerning voter should and must recognize as mere campaign talks and gimmicks? As I have said, all presidents, no matter the party they come from, would behave significantly alike in line with the un-entrenched American government policies that must be implemented by whoever occupies the White House as the president.

Posted by Nick on Monday, Sep 3, 2012 6:56 PM (EDT):

I want to repeat what others have said: Romney came out a few days ago on CBS news and said he is firmly IN FAVOR OF abortion for various reasons. This amounts to not-really-pro-life at all.
What people DID NOT CATCH is that Romney is actually 100% following the official Mormon teaching on abortion (see the LDS website), which is (a) that it is OK for certain “exceptions” like health of mother and (b) that we should not be FOR OR AGAINST any legislation on abortion - which is precisely what Mitt said (“The Democrats make abortion a political issue; it should be left to the courts” - i.e. pro-life legislation is not on his agenda).

Posted by William McCormick on Monday, Sep 3, 2012 6:04 PM (EDT):

Robert, Romney told CBS news on the eve of the Republican Convention and after his interview with EWTN that he was, in effect, pro-abortion. (Please see my comment above.) Robert, Romney has a long-standing, nasty habit of talking out of both sides of his mouth (obviously for political gain.)

Thirst for Truth, is it righteous to vote for the “lesser of two evils”, when you are deliberately “throwing under the bus” the lives of countless unborn children? How do I explain to the Lord on my judgment day that I intentionally voted for any candidate, who supports the murders of unborn children? As St. Thomas More said (in a Man for All Seasons), “You’ll go to heaven for following your conscience and I’ll go to hell for not following mine”.

Posted by vance on Sunday, Sep 2, 2012 12:12 AM (EDT):

Romney isn’t the perfect candidate BUT we know the evil guy Obama is. We Catholics need to unite and VOTE OUT Obama who has just jackboot stomped on our Rights to Free Exercise of our Religion. Cardinal Dolan’s lawsuit is enough reason for us to VOTE OUT OBAMA.

Posted by Robert on Saturday, Sep 1, 2012 11:20 PM (EDT):

Romney is pro-life, he discussed this on Raymond Arroyo’s show “The World Over” on EWT recently (Biden and Obama did not respond in invitations to come on this show) also Jay Sekuluv stated on EWTN a few months ago that Romney has promised to appoint judges to the court who respect life from conception till natural death. Plus he’s been successfull in buisness and as a governor, Obama’s main previous experience before his 2 years in the senate was community organizer for Acorn, who’s main funtion was havind dead people vote for Denocrats….....

Posted by ThirstforTruth on Saturday, Sep 1, 2012 11:06 PM (EDT):

@ William McCormick…Sorry but a vote for anyone other than Romney is
a vote for Obama. The principle of picking the lesser of two evils applies here. To quote you, “the infinitely worse” Obama is surely
the worse of two evils. My Catholic-informed conscience tells me that you
are enhancing the chance of a greater evil, by casting a vote that in
effect, does not count. Perhaps you feel your conscience is eased by doing this but I think that is false reasoning. In effect, you are removing yourself from social responsibility. Please vote Romney and get rid of the current abomination in the White House.

Posted by ThirstforTruth on Saturday, Sep 1, 2012 10:59 PM (EDT):

@Chi…I have just afew words for you, to inform you how really out of
touch your comments show you to be: Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, 2007,Fannie Mae, Freddy Mac, House Financial Services, Senate Banking Committee,reform,Democratic Congress, economic meltdown, budgets(unpassed)2008,2009, 20010, 2011,Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, massive spending bills, omnibus bill, etc, etc,etc, If Obama inherited anything, he inherited it
from himself ...and his Democratic Congress. The deficit he inherited he voted for as a Senator) and then he voted to expand four-fold since the day he took Office. Quit belly-aching and put the blame where it belongs.
A vote in November for Obama is a vote to continue down the same path to economic disaster and an oblivion from which the USA will never recover.

Posted by Ioannes on Saturday, Sep 1, 2012 10:59 PM (EDT):

Its amazing how the spirit against God can convince people that not doing what they can to stop Mr Obama from a second term is righteous. Would our Lord really be pleased if we allow a party with a platform that CLEARLY advances the decay of our moral society to further its causes? Wake up and smell the evil one people!!!!!!!!! Don’t whine that you weren’t earned clearly!

Posted by William McCormick on Saturday, Sep 1, 2012 4:54 PM (EDT):

Chi, I have no argument that George Bush took us to an unnecessary and costly war and then let the Democrats have their own way in spending recklessly. Please, however, recognize that Obama has Roman Catholics in his crosshairs and that the persecution of the Church will only get worse if he is given another term. BTW, as bad as Romney is on abortion, Obama is infinitely worse. (Sadly, I’ll probably have to write in Santorum.)

Posted by William McCormick on Saturday, Sep 1, 2012 2:20 PM (EDT):

Mitt Romney said(on CBS news-Scott Pelley)on the eve of the Republican Convention that he supports abortion, inter alia, to protect “the health of the mother”—well known code words for abortion on demand.

I cannot and will not vote for any political candidate, who favors the murders of unborn children. I’m particulary outraged that Mitt Romney won the Republican nomination by intentionally misrepresenting that he opposed abortion on demand. In other words, he gained the nomination under false pretenses.

Please don’t bore me with other issues. If Romney supports abortion on demand, he is automatically disqualified from receiving my vote.

Posted by Chi on Saturday, Sep 1, 2012 10:42 AM (EDT):

Those rooting loudly for Romney must know that there is nothing spectacular, ab initio, from the narratives and declarations he has been making and had made in this Convention. That joblessness and poverty exist in America were not something that started today. When the American Government got itself immersed almost simultaneously in conflicts around the world, especially in the Middle East over trumped-up charges against foreign governments and nations, did America think such wars would be executed with manna from Heaven? And these senseless wars were waged under George Bush’s watch, a president of GOP extraction! When America spent trillions of taxpayers’ dollars on those account would anybody think that such would not affect the American economy? Would anybody think that bludgeoning the economy would not result in consequential job losses and sustained unemployment? Would people think such sordid situations would not result in cascading poverty? These were what George Bush brought into America; and Americans should be wise enough to know when and from whose actions the house began to leak. In spite of all these the Americans were wise enough to give Geoge Bush a second term in office as president! Now people are turning round to blame Obama for all the woes witnessed in America where the GOP still held sway in Congress! What a way to think! The GOP Romney must be very careful the way he crafts his campaign talks and criticisms of the present govt. otherwise the entire GOP would play into the hands of the Democrats who could easily and gladly carry the rampaging GOP heads on a platter. The fact is that the GOP placed America in the present dire situation and have sustained such situation via majority in Congress. Regarding religious freedom methinks this is only a hype similar to one attempting to play to the gallery; America, by all standards, is not a country that has, by design or default, implicit or explicit, shown overtly or overtly, any signs of stifling religious freedom. As regards the so-called volunteering jobs by Romney, I don’t think that is any qualification for the US Presidency. Romney is not applying for a post-high school job.

Posted by cthlc12345 on Friday, Aug 31, 2012 6:29 PM (EDT):

Credit to Romney for picking Paul Ryan as VP. This proves that Romney means what he says. It’s our responsibilty as Catholics to support Romney/Ryan.

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